Where only the numerous rumors hinted that Tossgirl will play in a match, she finally showed herself in the match on the 11th. The very first appearance of a lady progamer in PROLEAGUE, which had grasped all the attention of the fans of E-Sports, have been made.출전한다 소문만 무성하던 서지수가 드디어 11일 경기에 모습을 드러냈다. 모든 e스포츠 팬들의 관심을 집중시킨 여성 최초의 프로리그 출전이 이뤄진 것이다.

Although she was not able to overcome the hurdle ahead, and declared GG, she does not dwell in despair. Rather we met her staunchily reassuring herself that she needs even more practice.이번에도 결국은 벽을 넘지 못하고 GG를 선언했지만 그는 상심에 빠져있지 않았다. 오히려 더 많은 노력이 필요하다고 야무지게 말하는 그를 만났다.

-You made the very first appearance in the PROLEAGUE.-여성 최초로 프로리그에 진출했는데.

▶역시나 많이 긴장됐다. 감독님이 계속 차 안에서 상대가 더 긴장할거다, 평소 하던대로 하라고 말씀해주셨는데 땀이 계속 나서 화장실을 들락거려야 할 정도였다. 처음 출전에 의의를 두겠다. 팀의 2라운드 진출이 확정돼서 내가 나간 것이지만 다음에는 리그 중반에도 출전할 수 있도록 연습을 많이 해야겠다. 경기하면서 느낀 게 많다. 그동안 내가 재미로 했구나, 내가 한 노력은 다른 사람들에 비하면 노력도 아니구나 하고 느꼈다. 믿고 내보내주신 감독님에게 인정받고 싶었는데 못 이겨서 아쉽다. 100% 승리를 확신하고 나온 것은 아니지만 패배하니까 내 자신에게 화가 났다.▶As suspected, I was very nervous. Although the Coach constantly told me in the car that the opponent will be even more nervous than I am, that I should play the game as I normally play it, but I was sweating most of the time that I went back and forth to the restroom. I will acknowledge it that this is only a first appearance. I was listed to play after my team was qualified for the second round of PROLEAGUE. Next time I will have to practice more to play during the league(where it actually matters). I have felt that I have only played the game for the fun of it, that the effort that I have put in did not amount to much compared to the others. As much as I wanted to be acknowledged by the coach who entrusted his faith in me, I feel at a loss that I could not win. I was never sure of winning 100%, but after the loss I felt mad at myself.

-가장 아쉬웠던 부분.-What part do you most regret?▶본진 입성한 마린 파벳 컨트롤이 너무 아쉬웠다. 입구에만 세워놨어도 압박이 됐을텐데. 너무 허무하게 잃었다. 김남기 선수가 저그전 연습을 많이 도와줬는데 역시 그 부분을 아쉬워하더라. 초반 병력을 입구에 두고 압박하는 것만으로 그쳤어야했는데 너무 오버했다고 왜 그렇게 긴장했냐고 안타까워했다. ▶Controlling marine & firebat in the zerg main base came too shy to be any good. Just keeping them at the entrance would have made the opponent pressured. I lost them without any gain. (My teammates) also tantalized at the result shared the same opinion, that I should have held the position with the first group of my army and pressured him, but went overboard; they were concerned why I was so nervous.

2주 전부터 팀원들과 본격적으로 연습했다. 그 전에는 솔직히 아마추어를 많이 이겨서 좀 거만해지기도 했다. 잘하는 편에 속할거야하는 안일한 생각이 들었다. 그런데 확실히 아마추어랑 프로는 다르더라. 2주 전부터 10게임을 하면 한판도 못이겼다. 최근에는 한 게임 정도는 이긴다(웃음). 아무튼 지면서 정말 많이 주눅들었다. 내가 이정도밖에 안되는 구나, 노력을 두 배로 하지 않는 이상 따라잡기 어렵겠구나 하고 연습하면서 많이 느꼈다. 다들 합숙하고 연습하면서 정보교환도 많이 한다. ▶There were discussions about it (in the team) from the beginning that I will be listed to play after we are qualified for the second round. Whether it be eNature, or other teams, if the team was safe to take the risk I would have played. It did not mean to be patronizing to the opponent team. In the early part of the league, I won many games over amateurs.

I practiced with the progamers for the past 2 weeks. Honestly, winning many times against the amateurs, I was somewhat self-satisfied about my caliber. I indolently thought that I was at least in the higher caliber among the progamers. But the gap between the amateurs and progamers were huge. Playing about ten games with the progamers, I was not able to win one single match. I win over at least one match nowadays (Smile*). Anyways I felt very insecure after losing so many games. During that practicing streak, I have felt that this is the true level which I am at, and that without putting in twice the effort I will never be able to catch up with them. They live in dorms and practice and share stretegical information.

-연습상대는.-Practice partners.▶진영수 선수와 한승엽 선수가 전략을 많이 도와줬다. 상대 팀에서 저그는 안 나올 것이라고 생각해서 주로 프로토스전과 테란전을 많이 연습했다. 특히 프로토스전은 필살 빌드 하나 준비하고 계속 테란전만 연습했다. 여성부에는 테란이 없어서 테란전을 해본 적이 몇 번 없기도 하고 내가 테란전을 너무 못하기 때문이다. 그런데 경기장에 와보니 떡하니 저그가 나왔다. ▶Jin Youngsoo and Han Seungyeop helped me much with stretegy. I practiced for protoss and terran, ruling out the match up with zerg. Having only quilted a daredevil killer stretegy against the protoss, I practiced against terran. Since there were no terrans in the ladies' league, not only did I not have the chance to face terran that many times but I am also particularly weak against terran. At the stadium, unfortunately there it was; the zerg.

-사람들의 기대가 부담스럽지 않았나.-Didn't you feel all the expectations burdensome.▶내 자신과 싸워서 이겨야 겠다는 생각으로 부담을 떨쳤다. 그런데 막상 당일이 되니 떨렸다. 상대가 저그가 나왔다는 것이 제일 아쉽다. 테란전을 정말 많이 준비했는데 보여주지 못한게 너무 아쉽다. 김남기 선수와 어제 연습을 많이 했는데 연습을 해주는 입장에서 많이 아쉬웠을 것 같다. 많이 미안하다. 팀원들에게 다 미안하다. 김선묵 선수가 처음 출전에 승리하는 걸 보고 나보다 후밴데 나도 이기고 싶었다. 앞으로는 꼭 본보기가 돼야 겠다.▶I shook off that feeling with the thought that my greatest opponent was myself. However when the day came, I was shaking nonetheless. It's unfortunate that the opponent was zerg. I practiced the match against terran very much, and I feel sorry that I was not able to prove it. I practiced with Kim Namgi yesterday, and from his point of view, I think he felt much regret also. I am very sorry. I am sorry for the whole team. Having seen Kim Sunmook, who started playing the game later than I did, making his first appearance and winning, I wanted to do the same. I will try to be a role model being the fore-progamer.

-장기전에 좀 약한 것 같다.-You seem weak when the game turns out to be long.▶팀원들이랑 연습할 때도 그렇다. 장기전가면 많이 약해진다. 오늘은 테테전을 준비하고 왔었기 때문에 저그전의 초반 빌드 싸움을 노렸다. 초반에 본진 입성을 했는데 너무 허무하게 잃었고 뮤탈 4기에도 너무 휘둘렸다. 3배럭 이후 팩을 늦게 올려서 가스가 많아서 일부러 앞마당 가스를 안 먹었다. 그런데 한참 뒤에도 가스 짓는 걸 잊었다. 그래서 업그레이드를 누르려니 가스가 없더라. 실수가 많아서 아쉽다.▶I feel the same when I am practicing with the teammates. When the game is extended to the latter part, I become weak. Having concentrated my practice in Vs terran, facing zerg, I aimed for the "build fight"(*) in the beginning. I was able to make it to the main base but did not gain anything. I also was too swayed by four mutalisks. After the third barrack, having built the factory very late in the game, there was abundant amount of gas. So I didn't bother to build a refinery in the front yard expansion for some time, but I forgot to build it for too long. When I tried to upgrade there was no gas. There were too many mistakes that I regret.

-남자 선수랑 할 때 긴장한 모습이 많이 보인다.-You do feel very nervous facing male opponents.▶여성부에서 경기할 때도 긴장을 많이 한다. 성격이 내성적이라 방송 경기 적응이 잘 안되는 것 같다. 그래도 여성부와 남성부는 차이가 있다. 자리에 앉을 때부터 느껴지는 공기가 다르다. 승기를 잡으면 더 긴장이 된다. 예전 박신영 선수와의 경기때는 내가 유리하다는 생각이 들자 눈앞이 하얗게 아무것도 안보였다. 물론 지금은 그때보다는 한차원 업그레이드돼서 그정도로 긴장하지는 않는다. 하지만 아직 멀었다. 몇 년간 해온 것은 정말 연습도 아니다.▶I am also nervous in the ladies' league. I am introverted thus still being not quite in tune with the broadcasted matches. Still there is definitely the difference between the ladies' league, and the regular league. When seated in front of the computer, the atmosphere itself is totally different. Especially when I think that I might have a chance, I feel even more nervewrecking. Some time ago, when facing Park Shinyoung I was in a place where I might have a chance of winning, and as soon as that thought occured, my eyes blurred with snow-white wall and was numbed. Of course I have "leveled up" and I am not as nervous as I was back then, but I still have much more ways to go. The past years that I practiced, is not even shy of the practices that the others go through.

-공교롭게도 진 남자 선수들은 전부 은퇴를 했는데.-Conincidentally all the male progamers who have lost against you have retired.▶모르겠다. 왜 은퇴를 하는지... 내가 열심히 해서 스타를 제패하면 전부 은퇴해야하는 건가(웃음). 그런 날이 올 수 있었으면 좋겠다(웃음).▶I do not know. Why would they retire... If I do better and conquer starcraft progaming, would all the progamers have to retire?(Smile). I wish there will be a day like that(Smile).

-앞으로의 각오라면.-Your determination for the upcomings.▶매번 말씀드리지만 다음 예선은 꼭 통과하고 싶다. 지금 서바이버 리그 예선이 남았는데 지금까지 연습한 걸 기반으로 마인드 변치않고 열심히 하겠다. 지켜봐달라.▶I have said this too many times; I want to pass the qualifier for the next league. That would be the Survivor preliminary. On top of what I have practiced so far, I will practice harder not being distracted. Please, do root for me.

* build fight - In the progaming scence, deciding what building sequence to use is extremly important. Tossgirl not having practiced much for zerg in this particular match, says that she "aimed for build fight". It means that she wanted to take advantage by using certain type of build sequence that will place her in the upper hand. However this type of stretegical approach reveals its weakpoint afterwards if the gamer is not able to triumph at her most strong timing. In this particular match up, the first march towards the zerg base with few marines + 3 fb's and + 1 medic.===========

The progamers go through tremendous amount of "extensive" practice. Tossgirl not having lived in the team camp, had yet truly realized that she needed much more practice, until today. She did well in this match, and I hope she will do better. Don't we all?

She didn't make it in the DUAL TOURNAMENT Preliminary last Sunday.http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=29294Starleague being the most coveted title for any progamer(PROLEAGUE debatable), it is sad that she did not make it in the DT prelim.She still has a shot at survivor prelim though. It is still a tough place, but MBC GAME Starleague being more of a minor league thus being a bit less competitive she just might make it. All the fans have their fingers crossed. =_=v

(EDITED)Oh almost forgot to include this.The opponent was Cho Yongsung(Z) of eNature who recently have qualified for the DT tournament. http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=29294So he is one heck of a player just for that accomplishment. He said in the winner interview that he was very nervous because he had to face Tossgirl. Not only is she a really strong progamer compared to the other ladies' for sure, and even among the male progamers, there is this jinx in the progaming scene that if you lose to Tossgirl, you do retire for sure. =)

On July 11 2005 13:00 Hippopotamus wrote: but we all know that men > women. She will not succeed.

Talking about her appearance is one thing. We all have personal preferences. However don't derogate her passion for the progaming with such crude remark. As many other male progamers acknowledge, she is the best female progamers in the world definitely, and the only female progamer who is able to compete side by side with the male progamer. Today's opponent also mentioned that she is the only female progamer that can accomplish the impossible. So please, keep your ignorance to yourself.